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PARLOUR LESSONS 



ON 



THE STUDY OF THE STAINS 

AND CONSTELLATIONS 

With the Use of a New i 8-inch Astronomically 
Arranged Sphere, 



M. TURNBULL, S. B. I. L. Eng., 

An Astronomical Telescopic Observer of Toronto, Ontario. 

1892. 



"All obsolete things may become new under the reviving touch of genius." 

— Sidney Smith. 



TORONTO : 
Printed by Warwick & Sons, 68 and 70 Front Street West. 



fi^T^z c^ts yyj>id<?frvr?, 






A Circular explanatory of a new patented astronomi- 
cally arranged sidereal sphere, to acquire a know- 
ledge of the Stars and Constellations ; for use in 
Educational Institutions and Private Libraries, 
including the various precepts which are applied 
to interpret the doctrines of the Sidereal Heavens. 

BY 

MR. TURNBULL, 

Ax Astronomical Telescopic Observer, 
Of Toronto, Ontario. 

November, 1892. 



All obsolete things may become new, under the reviving touch of 
genius. — Sidxey Smith. 



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<1 



Entered according' to Act of Parliament of Canada, in the year One thousand Eight 
hundred and Ninety-three, in the office of the Minister of Agriculture, and patented in the 
United States of America, by M. Turnbull. 



PKEFACE. 



One of the principal objects the author has in view in this 
design is to make it possible to place on the floor of the 
domestic parlour, or an Academy, an illustrative mechanical 
apparatus which will serve all the important purposes to the 
private student of the stars that are served in every astrono- 
mical observatory, by the use of that beautiful instrument 
styled " The Fraunhofe? (or German arranged) Equatorial 
Telescope."* The only difference in the case being that the 
new invention, as it needs not, has not any of the optical 
lenses and appendages the other has to magnify the numerous 
objects examined on the model map of the Celestial Sky. 



*In the progress of optical research to improve the astronomical telescope, 
after Dolland, in England, made his great discovery of the process to perfect the 
instrument, it was a considerable time after before one could be made of sufficient 
magnitude to advance and widen the boundary of our knowledge of the Heavens. 
In Germany, Fraunhofer, an eminent Optician of Munich in Bavaria, and the in- 
ventor of Spectrum Analysis, was the first to overcome the difficulties which were 
in the way. He completed the first great Achromatic Equatorial mounted tele - 
scope, as above alluded to, which was bought by the Russian Government for the 
National Observatory at Dorpat, in latitude 57°, 22', 47". In astronomy the con- 
nection of this instrument with the observational labours of the late two distin- 
guished, Struves and Argelander, and Bessal, especially the latter observer, who 
wrought with the instrument for thirty years to solve the parallax of 61 Cygnus, 
stamps it to be one of the foremost telescopes as yet used in the history of observa - 
tional astronomy. 



In explaining the subject matter of this circular it may be* 
mentioned at the outset that a conspicuous feature of the de- 
sign is the total abandonment of all the former methods, of 
teaching the constellations by rotating within a ciicle the en- 
tire cluster of the universe of stars. Those methods, as is 
now universally known, had their origin in the early absurd 
Ptolemaic theory or system of the universe, which was ex- 
ploded centuries ago by the application of geometrical appli- 
ances in observational work. 

The present apparatus on the other hand is founded upon 
the Copemican system of the universe, and is closely in unison 
with all the dynamical doctrines of modern astronomy, and 
the daily celestial experiences of the passing hour. In fact, 
the plan adopted is a true copy of the great original itself. 

In that plan the sphere with all the stars remains com- 
pletely stationary and immovable before the eye of the ob- 
server. Although, if required, while not solving problems on 
the position of objects on the Sphere, all the cluster of the 
stars can be revolved on the axis of the Sphere, which always 
retains its axial angle and parallelism with the orbit of the 
earth. But it has to be particularly noted that no single 
Celestial problem can be accurately solved, or any true like- 
ness traced between the aspect of the model hemisphere of the 
stars, and the true appearance of the sky on any night, while 
the Sphere and its axis revolve. To secure, therefore, all the 
altered conditions made necessary by the new mechanical ar- 
rangements of the Sphere, the following plain structural de- 
tails must be closely attended to, as follows : — Bring the two 
brilliant stars Alpheratz and Chaph, or better known in 
astronomy by Gamma Andromeda and Beta Cassiopeia, right 
below the annual Sidereal meridian, placed at the 20th of 
March, in the calendar of days in any year selected, and make 
the axis fast with the stationary screw, then the operator ha& 
clearly before him a true projection of all the hemispherical 



constellations and stars as they exist to the eye on any even- 
ing, and are found in every modern catalogue and collection of 
maps of the stars in the passing age. 

Next. — In describing the different mechanical appendages 
which form the structure of this celestial instrument it has to 
be particularly observed there are four distinct mechanical 
factors employed in its use, namely : — First. A semicircle 
placed from pole to pole of the sphere. It is meant to exhibit 
an outer sidereal solar meridian that moves annually in the 
ecliptic circle of the sphere, and carries at the same time the 
sun's supposed centre, which points off on the calendar of days 
all the right ascensions of our great luminary. This is an im- 
portant arrangement as it serves the same purpose in the 
private parlour study of astronomy that the right ascension 
circle does, which is attached to the axis of the equatorial 
mounted telescope placed in all the public observatories. 

Second. — Exhibits another meridian which revolves below 
and within the first just alluded to. It is introduced to rotate 
round the Sphere every twenty-four hours, representing the 
uxial rotation of the earth and any place selected upon it. 
This part forms geometrically the great exhibit of the entire 
terrestrial topography, and is graduated on both sides from 
the equator up to the poles of the earth. 

It may be mentioned here, to a juvenile observer of the 
stars, that as every place on the earth's rotundity is correctly 
determined by its latitude and longitude; those two important 
elements are correctly obtained from the foregoing structure 
and place of the terrestrial meridian. Its graduations give 
readily the latitude from both the terrestrial poles, and its 
position as traced by the index on the twenty-four hour-circle 
determines the longitude of the place where the observer is 
standing with the hour circle, the longitude can be determined 
to 10 seconds of arc. 



Third. — Is an eight hour-circle graduated into hours,, 
minutes and seconds of horary time ? It is placed upon the 
southern axis of the Sphere, and is attached to and revolves 
like the celestial meridian round the heavens only once every 
year. Each day the two meridians coincide at noon, and that 
place is marked upon the hour-circle. Hence it will be ob- 
served as the celestial meridian advances in the ecliptic plane 
only about one degree in twenty-four hours, the two must 
separate continually during a day of axial rotation of the 
earth at the rate of 15° for every hour, and thereby converting 
the terrestrial meridian into a correct interpreter of the places 
of all those stars which it passes over on the Sphere and is 
above the observer's horizon at all hours, whether they are in 
the direct sunlight or in the opposite hemisphere of midnight 
darkness. 

Fourth. — I his appendage constitutes a quadrant of alti- 
tude graduated to 90° and its place and function is to be 
screwed fast to the terrestial meridian, and to move round the 
zenith at the latitude of the place of observation, thus secur- 
ing the means to find out the zenith distance of any star, and 
its true altitude above the horizon of the place. The use of 
this part of the apparatus is extremely important, as it in- 
troduces the system of solving many of the higher questions 
in celestial science, by the strict doctrines of geometry, instead 
of using the former mechanical plan of shifting circles, which 
has greatly the tendency to confuse an amateur in his higher 
studies. Another useful property which this part of the ap- 
paratus has, it enables an observer to accomplish the solution 
of all the altitudes of those stars which are above his horizon, 
rendering this instrument equivalent to what is obtained by 
the Fraunhofer Telescope formerly alluded to, and adding to 
the value of this method of mounting in the parlour study of 
the heavens. 



Having assigned in a great measure the foregoing para- 
graphs to explain the physical structure of the two instruments 
we will endeavour in what follows shortly to apply them in a 
practical way to those things described in reference to their 
adaptation to simplify and extend the domain of two of the 
noblest of all the physical sciences. At this place of the sub- 
ject we may note particularly that the first step to be taken 
by the amateur is to endeavour to discover clearly and 
thoroughly all the changed characteristics which surround this 
model of the universe of stars, especially viewed from a stand- 
point situate on the convex surface of the stationary sphere. 

In the solution of those problems we purpose now to solve, 
we intend to follow the seasonal or cyclic order of the apparent 
shifting of the stars on the face of the sky. By this plan it 
will be observed, it divides the entire convex aspect of the 
whole sphere, so that by a seasonal examination there is a 
great advantage gained over work performed with any of 
those sectional maps published in geographies and atlases on 
the subject. Here, at the time of observation, the student has 
the whole visible hemisphere of the heavens at once distinct 
before his eye and all in the true position of the stars from the 
observer, and from each other. And in addition, in the opera- 
tion the student is trained by the use of the mechanical details 
of the instrument to read correctly on the sphere all the places 
of the stars by the unerring rules of geometry, and the guidance 
of graduated circles which forms a training (as formerly men- 
tioned) in the astronomical process, similar to what is gone 
through in the public observatory by the use of the foremen- 
tioned equatorial telescope ; hence the parlor use of this model 
of the starry sphere becomes a pleasant intellectual occupation, 
in acquiring a knowledge of the starry heavens. 

In selecting a hemisphere to solve some problems on the 
stars on purpose to help a tyro to handle the apparatus, we 
propose to fix that period in the seasonal year when the sun's 



8 

centre is in the winter solstice about the 21st December. At 
this annual period at night, as we all know the richest and the 
most conspicuous of the northern constellations are visible, 
although through cold the most trying season to the observer. 
In particular at this time, we can select problems from Gemini, 
Arug a ,Perseus, Aries, Taurus, Andromeda, Gassiopea, Pegasus 
and the glorious Orion, which in itself is a telescopic cloud of 
universes. 

It may be mentioned in this place that all the annexed 
problems have been directly solved by the use of this newly 
arranged sidereal sphere, however it will be understood the 
renderings are all only approximate. 



PROBLEM I. 

To find upon the Map of the new arranged Sidereal Sphere 
the right ascension and declination of any star, planet, nebula, 
•or comet ? 

Rule. — Bring always the Sidereal meridian over Alpha, 
Andromeda, at the 20th of March in the calendar of days. 
Then shift on the hour circle the index attached to the 
terrestrial meridian to the hour, minutes and seconds of right 
ascension given and the place of the terrestrial meridian on the 
Sphere will indicate the plane in which the object is placed ; 
next, to find the arc of declination, screw the quadrant of 
altitude on the graduated meridian at the ecliptic plane 
when the arc of declination can be found to lead the eye to 
the precise place where the phenomenon is situated. 



PROBLEM II . 



What is the position on the sky of the brilliant nautical 
star Regulus, its zenith and distance from meridian at the city 
of New York on February 4th, at 9h. 15m. p.m. ? 

Eule. — Bring the sun's centre on the ecliptic plane to the 
day named, February 4th. Next place the index on the hour 
circle at the time given, 9h. 15m. Then screw the quadrant 
of altitude at th latitude of New York 40° 42', and bring it 
over the star, when its zenith distance and altitude will be 
found. 

(It may be noted here that with the new arranged sphere, 
the altitude of any star is obtained by subtracting the zenith 
arc from 90°.) 



10 

Again to find the place of Regulus from the meridian at 
the time named, move the terrestrial meridian from its place at 
February 4th till it is over Regulus ; when the arc in degrees 
and minutes will be found on the hour circle. 

Answer. — The distance of Regulus from the zenith of 
New York, at the time noted was 50° 12' with an altitude 
above horizon of 39° 48\ and its distance from the meridian 
was 30° 12' west. 



PROBLEM III. 

In what time in the twenty -four hours does the Double- 
double in the constellation Lyra, pass the meridian of Chicago, 
and what is its zenith distance and altitude above horizon, 
and when does it rise and set on the 14th of July ? 

Rule. — Place the sun's centre at the day given, July 14th. 
then screw the quadrant of altitude at the latitude of the city 
41° 53', and bring the terrestrial meridian over the object 
named, when its zenith distance and altitude will be given, 
Next to solve when the Double-double rose and set, bring the 
quadrant till its end just touches the object on the sphere, when 
the index on the hour circle will show the time at rising. 
Then move the terrestrial meridian east and the index circle 
will again point to the time when it set. 

Answer. — The Double-double was on the meridian of 
Chicago at llh. 20m. p.m., and the zenith arc was nearly 2°, 
with an altitude of 88°, and it rose at 2h. 20m., p.m. and set 
next morning at 7h. 58m. a.m. 



11 



PROBLEM IV, 

Where on the sphere is the great Nebula of Orion, and 
what is its zenith distance and altitude, and when did it rise 
and set to the city of Boston, on January 20th at lh. 16m. a.m.? 

Rule. — Bring the sun to the day named, January 20th, 
then screw the quadrant of altitude to the latitude of Boston, 
42° 21', then move the index on the hour circle to lh. 16m. a.m., 
which will give the zenith arc and altitude ; again to find when 
the Nebula rose and set, move the terrestrial meridian west 
till it brings the end of the quadrant to touch the object on 
the sphere, and the degree shown by the hour index is the time 
when it rose. And to find when it set, move the terrestrial 
meridian east till the quadrants end touch again the object, 
and the degree pointed to gives the time when it set. 

Answek. — The zenith distance of the Nebula at the hour 
named was 37° with an altitude of 53° above horizon, and it 
rose at 4 p.m. and set at 3h. 16m. next morning. 



PROBLEM V. 



In what ecliptic constellation is the sun on the 21st Decem- 
ber, and what is the arc of distance between the zenith of 
Toronto, in Ontario, and Alpha Andromeda, with its altitude 
above the horizon at lOh. 30m. p.m. ? 

Rule. — Bring first the sidereal meridian to the day named, 
December 21st, then place the terrestrial meridian at the 
hour given, lOh. 30m., next screw the quadrant on the meridian 
of Toronto at the latitude of the city, 43° 40'. Bring the 
quadrant over the star named when the zenith arc will be 



12 

found, which being subtracted from 90° will give the altitude 
above horizon at the hour required. 

Answer. — The sun is in the southern solsticial colure in the 
beginning of Sagittarius, and the distance of Andromeda from 
the zenith of Toronto was 51° with an altitude of 39° above 
horizon. 



PROBLEM VI 



What is the position on the sphere of that beautiful double 
star Beta Cygnus (Alberio), in reference to its zenith arc, and 
altitude from horizon, likewise its distance from the meridian 
as seen at Philadelphia High School Observatory on June the 
25th, at 9h. 8m. p.m., also when did the star rise and set at the 
time given ? 

Rule. — Place the sun in the ecliptic plane at the day June 
25th, next screw quadrant over Philadelphia, latitude 39° 58', 
then place the quadrant over the star and note the degree. 
The degree points out on quadrant the zenith arc at the 
time ; subtract the arc found from 90° and the altitude is 
given. To find when Alberio rose and set to Philadelphia 
move the terrestrial meridian west till the quadrants end just 
touches the star ; the index on the hour circle shows when it 
rose ; and by moving the meridian and quadrant east till the 
quadrants end again touches the stars and the index place will 
solve when it set. 

Answer. — The zenith arc of Alberio at 9h. 8m. p.m., was 
51° 30', and its altitude above horizon 38° 30', and the star 
rose that day at 5h. 20m. p.m. and it set at 9h. 12m. a.m. 
next morning. Also the arc of Alberio at 9h. 8m. p.m. was 
60° 8' east from meridian of the School Observatory. 



13 



PROBLEM VII. 



In this problem we purpose to suppose that the eminent 
Director, Dr. Swift, of the Warner Observatory, Rochester,, 
had discovered a new telescopic comet (as he has often done 
before) on the night of the 10th September last, and found it 
moving west in right ascension 19 hours 20 minutes with a 
declination of 41° 10'. 

Now, from those figures, in what constellation will the comet 
be moving, and what are the names of the visible stars near 
the place where the phenomenon is situate on the sphere ? 

Rule. — Bring first the index on the hour circle to the right 
ascension named at the time of discovery on September 10th, 
at 9h. p.m. Then afterwards note on the graduated meridian 
the degree of declination 41° 10', when the two elements will 
be forthcoming to solve the question. 

Answer. — From the above directions the comet, as seen o'eo- 
centrically from the earth, is m®ving through the constellation 
Gygnus, near the star Gamma, and being moving west its orbit 
on the sphere will pass between Beta and Alpha, Lyra (Vega), 
near the ring nebula in that constellation. 



PROBLEM VIII, 

This problem is selected to illustrate the use of this instru- 
ment in an important branch of the observations made during 
a total eclipse of the sun's disc. 

On $ie 15th and 16th of April, 1893, one of the greatest 
eclipses of the sun in this century takes place. The umbra or zone 
of totality, which is nearly 180 miles broad, during its motion 



14 

over the earth passes through the centre of South America, 
chiefly over the Argentine Republic, the Pacific Ocean, and a 
large part of South Africa. Now, as all places at the centre of 
the zone of totality on this occasion have a complete obscura- 
tion of the sun for about five minutes of time, and as all stars 
of the first and second magnitude become visible to the un- 
assisted eye round the sun, how many will be discovered at the 
time, with their distances from the sun on the sphere, and what 
are their names as read by the Greek alphabet (Bayer's nota- 
tion) ? 

Rule. — Bring the sun and moon in the Zodiac to their 
right ascensions at the middle of the eclipse, viz. : lh. 39m. 28s. 
Their centres are then both catting the axis of ecliptic. Next 
screw the sector of altitude at the sun's place in the ecliptic 
plane and the different phenomena above mentioned can be all 
solved on the starry hemisphere 

Answer. — Four of the first stars which will attract the 
naked eye near the sun will be the square of Pegasus, especi- 
ally the northern one, Alpha Andromeda (Alpheratz). Its 
distance from the sun is north-west about 32° and Algenib 
or^amme pegasus, its neighbour, is only 15° due east from the 
sun. Aldebaran will also appear very distinctly at a distance 
of about 43° from the eclipse, and Capella, a little higher north" 
east from the sun, will be shining prominent at a distance of 
60°. Also not far west from Capella, Alpha Persei (Mirfak) 
will be observed 48° from the sun, and Alpha Arietes (the 
equinox of the ancients), being only 16° distant from the sun, 
will be readily observed. At the same time all the first and 
second magnitude stars in the brilliant constellation Orion, far 
south-east, will be seen. Belatrix is 63° from the eclipse and 
Rigel 68°. Also all the four stars of the second magnitude in 
Cassiopeia will be picked up. They are due north near meri- 
dian and placed between 48° and 52° from sun. It may be 



15 

added here as observers have seldom such an opportunity as 
this to make research for the long spoken of planet Vulcan 
surely this chance will not be lost sight of to settle this inter- 
esting unsolved problem. 



PROBLEM IX 



To the inhabitants of the southern hemisphere during the 
southern summer months, all their stars and constellations are 
nearly invisible ; however, after the sun has crossed the equi- 
noctial circle in March, when their nights begin rapidly to 
lengthen, then the southern stars begin to shine out in all 
their alluring glory. Now, during the best time of their starry 
season, what are the most conspicuous constellations visible 
with some of the principal stars in each, and how are they 
situate on the sphere as seen from the late Sir Thos. Brisbane's 
Paramatta Observatory,* near Sydney, New South Wales, in 
latitude 33° 49' and at lh. 12m. a.m. on the 10th June ? 

Rule. — Bring the sun in the ecliptic circle to the day 
named in the calendar, June 10th, then move the terrestrial 
meridian with its index on the hour circle to the time stated 
lh. 12m. a.m. 

The meridian then on the sphere is over the Paramatta 
Observatory. Next screw the graduated sector to the latitude 
of the place 33° 49', when everything involved in the above 
question can be readily solved in reference both to the extent 
of the zenith arc or the altitude of a star, and its distance from 
the meridian of the place. 

Answer. — Among the most noted constellations which may 
be first alluded to in the southern winter are those which 
belong to the Zodiac, namely, Aquarius, Sagittarius and Scor- 

*This observatory was the first to scan the southern constellations by the 
modern methods now adopted in astronomy. 



16 

pionis. At the time given above Alpha Scorpio (Antares) is 
46° from the zenith of Paramatta and Delta (Deneb) Capricomi, 
its zenith distance is 21°. In Aquarii, Alpha (Sadalmelik) on 
the right shoulder of the Sine is north-east about 15° with an 
altitude above horizon of about 45°. 

At this season the beautiful constellation Corona Australis 
is nearly in the zenith of Sydney, onlyTftstant about 10°, and 
closer up and east towards the south pole Alpha in Indus is a 
brilliant object about 31° from the zenith. Again, the three 
second magnitude stars, Beta, Gamma and Eta, in the three 
angles of Triangulum Australe are very conspicuous objects > 
and are all within the Antarctic circle. At the same hour 
Alpha, Beta and Gamma in the constellation Lepus are promi- 
nent stars ranging between 25° and 38° from the zenith of 
Sydney. Perhaps it is worth stating that during the southern 
winter months there are only about four first magnitude stars 
of the northern hemisphere which are seen from a great por- 
tion of Southern Australia, Tasmania and Van Dieman's Land. 
Arcturus, Lyra and Altair will be the most conspicuous. 

Altair from the zenith of Paramatta is always in fine posi- 
tion, 48° only from the horizon, but Arcturus and Lyra and 
Alpha Cygnus, will be seen only in very fine evenings. 

Close attention paid to the methods given of solving the 
above problems, with a little practice at the present mechanical 
system as applied to the sphere of the stars, will readily initi- 
ate any juvenile observer with the telescope into a clear know- 
ledge of all the numerous objects found everywhere on the face 
of the sky. And, moreover, the apparatus with its training 
enables the celestial investigator at all hours, independent of 
the weather, to handle the model sphere as it is operated upon 
with the equatorial in any observatory. 



FINIS. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



J303 538 862 A 



